Investing is intimidating, and thinking about money and the future is overwhelming and boring to most teens and young adults.

Ramsey native and independent financial adviser Mike Zisa wants to teach young people the value of investing early and give them the resources to do it well.

"They don't think it's important," he said, noting he was the same way. "They're not thinking about this. They're thinking about their future and what they're going to do in their career and going out and having fun with their friends."

After getting over the first hurdle and starting to invest, the biggest challenge is still to come.

"The hard part is keeping [the money] in there," said Zisa. "We live in a country where you want things and you need things, but if you put this money aside strictly for your financial future and don't touch it, let it keep working … the amount of money you can potentially have is amazing."

Here are Zisa's 10 tips for teens and young adults:

* Live within your means.

* Do not spend all of your money on frivolous items.

* Create a monthly budget noting income and expenses and stick to it.

* Use credit cards responsibly. In other words, stay out of debt.

* Pay yourself first. Always take a portion of your paycheck or gift money and save or invest it. Whatever is left should be used to pay for your expenses.

* Start investing in stocks early (now would be a good time to start), even if it is just a small amount each month.

* Buy and hold is your best strategy. Buying and selling frequently (trying to time the market) may eventually lead to significant losses.

* Do not be greedy. Greed can cause unnecessary losses in your investment portfolio. Stick with high-quality companies that have a long history of earnings and pay good dividends that usually increase every year.

* Do not sell your investments unless absolutely necessary. Let the power of compounding work its magic.